Dead Girl Walking (Draco x Astoria)

Chapter 25 - Final Decision

As Blaise's car pulled up to the entrance, Astoria took a deep breath when she caught sight of all the photographers outside.

"Blaise, I can't believe you paid for one of these," Theo said again, amazed at it. He sat in the front seat with Blaise in the driver's, even though he wasn't driving, and he couldn't drive if his life depended on it.

"Well fellas, you need a magic car for this occasion. We can't now apparate at once now, can we? So not classy!"

Ella sighed, looking back to Astoria.

"Are you sure you don't want us to come down?"

"I don't want you to get dragged in this. I'm glad the windows are tinted." Astoria pushed her black sunglasses a little up her nose, and readied her hand on the door handle.

Astoria looked back to Ella. "You should look away too when the door opens, I don't want your picture to be in any paper."

"Too late," Theo coughed, putting his hands behind his head smugly.

Ella shook her head with a small smile. "Don't worry about me, Astoria. Go get Draco already." She leaned away and sat back to her seat by the window.

Astoria nodded, and with another deep breath, she opened the door. Her ears immediately filled with the most obnoxious loud sound of the camera clicks, and the sound of men and women bombarding her with questions. She looked ahead and walked quickly, up the steps and into the building.

She took a small sigh of relief that they couldn't follow her and walked further inside to the desk she recognised. She hadn't even reached it when the employee started stuttering her name in shock.

"I'm here to have Draco Malfoy released."

"Miss Greengrass," he insisted, "You'd be pleased to know your parents will come straight away as soon as I call them," he smiled, "This is not a good idea for you. He should be staying in jail, in my personal opinion, Azkaban. You're a lovely woman." He paused, and she stared at him with a blank expression. "Just graduated," he went on.

"I'm nineteen years old. You should know very well by now," she leaned in closer, "that there was no kidnapping." She scowled. "Now move him to an adequate room to change into some clothes, and let him leave!" She snapped quietly.

He looked down, nodding as he got his keys.

"Please wait here a moment while we transfer him."

She took a deep breath as she watched him leave. He had come back three minutes later, silently leading her down a corridor. He opened the door and she saw him seated down with his head in his hands. She went inside and the door was shut quietly behind her. The man had given her Draco's wand just before he did.

"Draco,"

He looked up immediately at the sound of her voice. "Astoria." But then he started to study what she wore. Dark sunglasses that masked her eyes, with her dark hair let down, and all black clothes. She wore a black trench coat with a skirt and black stockings.

"You never looked so fancy." He put his head back down on his hand, just seeming to admire her from where he sat.

"Come on," she whispered, "I'm getting you out of here." She walked to him and grabbed his wrists gently, pulling him up. She passed him the bag of clothes she had brought him, and slid his wand inside. "I brought your suit." She smiled faintly, stepping back towards the wall to face it.

She heard the sound of him opening the bag. "Nothing new you haven't seen before," he said quietly.

It was silent now, he wasn't changing. She turned around slowly, and laid her back against the wall. Then, that's when he started to change.